Spray nozzle



Nov. 3, 1942. F. KLEIN 2,300,679

SPRAY NOZZLE Filed July 19, 1940 INVENTOR Fcux KLEIN ATTORNEY PatentedNov. 3, 1942 I T OFFICE SPRAY NOZZLE Felix Klein,

Bayside, Long- Island, N. to Keystone Brass & Rubber 00., a corporationof Pennsylvani Y., assignor Philadelphia, 2.

Application July 19, 1940, Serial No. 346,303

ZClaims.

My invention relates to a new and useful spray nozzle and it relatesmore particularly to a spray nozzle which is provided with means forefiectlng any desired degree of adjustment andthus controlling thequantity, force, as well as form of the stream of water ejected throughthe spray nozzle. While my nozzle as here shown and described is appliedto the discharge end of a garden hose, it will be seen that theconstruction, without any variation, is equally useful in connectionwith other domestic plumbing fixtures such as a kitchen faucet, ashampoo attachment, a bath shower head and the like.

Spray nozzles'of this general character have heretofore been made andused and, with particular reference to the type of spray nozzle appliedto the discharge end of a garden hose for instance, I have found thatall such nozzles are formed of metal such as brass which makes themexpensive, and furthermore such nozzles can only be adjusted by the useof both hands, one to hold the end of the garden hose and one to rotatethe spray nozzle proper. Also, when the hose is dropped, the brass orother metallic spray nozzle tends to injure delicate plants or breakflower pots. It is therefore the object of my invention to produce aspray nozzle which is formed mostly of rubber, which is greatlysimplified so as to be produced at greatly reduced expense, and whichcan be adjusted to any desired degree with the use of one hand.

I am aware that spray nozzles formed of rubber and having means forvarying the size of the discharge orifice have heretofore been known,but such spray nozzles are capable of adjustment only in the sense thatthe volume is increased and the pressure decreased or vice versa, and,if the form of the stream of water discharged is changed at all by theadjustment of the nozzle, this is done only on a limited scale. It istherefore a further object of my-invention to produce a spray nozzle inwhich the discharge orifice proper remains constant, and in which thepassage or throat of the nozzle in advance of the discharge orifice isadjusted thus accomplishing a degree or range of adjustment which Ifound to be otherwise impractical if not impossible.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a vertical cross section of a spray nozzle embodyingmy invention shown in the completely open position;

Fig. 2 represents, on a slightly enlarged scale, a section on line 2-2of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 represents a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the nozzle after ithas been partly adjusted Fig. 4 represents a view similar to Fig. 2taken on line 6-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 represents a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modifiedform of construction.

Fig. 6 represents a, fragmentary view of the left hand portion of Fig. 5showing the nozzle partly adjusted.

Fig. 7 represents a left hand end view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 represents a perspective view of the fitting forming part of theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

Referring to the drawing in which like reference characters indicatelike parts, It designates an internally threaded fitting which isadapted to engage the discharge end ll of a garden hose or the dischargeend of a spigot or other plumbing fixture. Within the fitting I0 is theusual washer l2. The fitting l0 has its outer ends deflected at l3rotatably to engage the annular flange I4 formed at the rear or inneredge of the pipe l5 which is shown in perspective in Fig. 8. As shown inFig. 8, the pipe l5 tapers forwardly and is cut away at its outer end asat l6. Also, the outer, cut away end l6 of the pipe I5 is bent outwardlywith respect to the longitudinal axis of the pipe Hi to form the annularpendant flange l1. Over the pipe I5 is tightly fitted the rubber nozzleI 8 which may or may not have the reinforcing ribs H9. The outer end ofthe rubber nozzle I8 is provided with an orifice which is fitted withthe eyelet 20. 22 designates a collar secured to the end of the nozzlel8, and to the collar 22 is attached the operating arm or lever 23 whichis deflected as at 24. It will be noted that the operating lever 23 issecured to the collar 22 at a point corresponding to the center of thefiange IT. The operation of this form of construction is as follows:

When it is desired to eject a normal stream of water, the operator holdsthe end of the garden hose II and the pipe It), or, if the device isattached to a spigot, the spigot is merely turned on. The flow of waterwill then be the full capacity of the orifices defined by the eyelet 20and the pressure of coursev will depend on the pressure of the main.When it is desired to increase the pressure or to vary the form of thestream of water passing through the nozzle, the operating lever 23 ispushed by the thumb or other finger towards the fitting ID as shown inFig. 3. Since the internal, tapered pipe I5 is rigid, and since therubber nozzle [8 is flexible, it would follow that the forward portionof the rubber nozzle is deflected downwardlyas viewed in Fig. 3 to theextent that the arm 2 tration with the orifice of the eyelet 20 as shownin Fig. 1. When the forward end of the rubber nozzle is deflected withrespect to the true horizontal or with respect to the longitudinal axisof the pipe I5, the relative positions of the eyelet 20 and the flangeI! are changed and, as shown in Fig. 3, the flange I! now partlyobstructs the orifice of the eyelet 20. This compels the water flowingthrough the pipe l5 to pass through the now comparatively restrictedorifice of the eyelet 20 and, since the volume and pressure areconstant, it follows that the restriction will increase the nozzlepressure and the distance to which the stream can be thrown.'

Also, by variously moving the discharge end of the nozzle with respectto the flange II the form or shape of the stream emanating from thedischarge orifice of the nozzle will be varied accordingly. Thus, when arelatively big plant such as a shrub or a tree is being watered the arm23 is released and the tendency of the rubber of the nozzle to springback brings the parts back to the position shown. in Fig. 1 in which afull stream is directed at a single spot. If, next to such tree orplant, there is a flower bed and a heavy stream would cause damage tothe delicateplants, the arm 23 is pressed toward the fitting until thedesired degree of adjustment is attained and the desired kind of sprayof water is produced. In this way the stream or spray of water emanatingfrom the nozzle is instantaneously adjusted and easily varied asrequired by merely manipulating the lever 23. Furthermore, the operatorcan pass from a full stream to a rainbow spray instantaneously, whereaswith the conventional nozzles of garden hoses which are set to passthrough a predetermined series of adjustments beyond the operatorscontrol, the operator will have to pass through the stage of a fullstream down through all the ,other adjustments before the fine sprayadjustment is reached. This wastes time and water and also tends tosplash the operator. Also, due to the troublesome operation ofcompletely closing the conventional nozzle, the operator usually carriesthe nozzle fully opened from one end of the lawn or garden to the otherend thus not only wasting water but wetting certain portions that it isnot desired to wet. In my construction, by merely making the width ofthe flange l1 equal to the diameter of the opening of the eyelet 20, Iam enabled completely to close the discharge orifice of the nozzle whiletransferring the watering operation from one spot to another.

In Fig. I have shown a different form of construction in which the samerubber nozzle I8 is fitted over the nipple 26 of a conventional gardenhose fitting 28, or, instead of being fitted over the nipple 26, itcould be equally well fitted over the discharge end of a spigot or otherplumbing fixture. The discharge end of the nozzle 18 is again providedwith the e'yelet 30 and a collar 32 is mounted immediately in advance ofthe eyelet 30. Threadedly engaging the collar 32 is a pressure thumbscrew 34 which, when turned, will deflect the wall of the nozzle as at35 and thus restrict the throat of the nozzle in advance of the eyelet30 as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The thumb screw 34 is locatedconveniently to the thumb and forefinger of the operator so that againthe adjustment can be effected with only one hand and again it ispointed out that both in the construction of Figs. 1 and 4 theadjustment is effected not in the discharge orifice which is permanentlydefined by the metallic eyelet 30, but at a point in advance of thedischarge orifice whether it be by the action of the lever 23 or thethumb screw 34.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5 I may, if desired, provide thenozzle I8 with an internal, spiral effect which may be in the form of agroove concave with respect to the internal surface or which may be inthe form of a rib convex with respect to the internal surface or bore ofthe nozzle in order to give to the stream of water flowing therethrougha rotary movement priorto its passage through the eyelet 20.

As illustrated in the drawing the flange ll of the conduit 15 isnormally out of registration with the orifice 20 and is adapted to bebrought into registration to the desired extent by the manipulation ofthe lever 23. I want to point out that it is within the scope of myinvention to reverse the construction entirely so that the normalposition of the lip I! would be that of completely obstructing theorifice 20 and then the lever 23 can be used to deflect the tip of therubber nozzle [8 so as to take the orifice 20 out of registration withthe flange ll. Also, while I have shown the lever 23 for convenience ofoperation, it is clear that the nozzle comprising the body l8, theconduit I5, the flange l1 and the orifice 20 could be manipulated byhand, since, by the pressure of the thumb on the tip of the rubbernozzle the same can be deflected to change the position of the orifice20 with respect to the flange l1 and the longitudinal axis of theconduit l5.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spray device of the character stated comprising a flexible nozzleadapted to be connected to a source of water and having a through boretherein, an eyelet disposed at the outer end of said nozzle andconstituting a discharge orifice, a closure for said orifice disposedwithin the bore of said nozzle and normally out of registration withsaid orifice, and means for flexing said nozzle to bring said closureinto partial or complete registration with said orifice.

2. A spray device of the character stated comprising a flexible nozzleadapted to be connected to a source of water and having a through boretherein, a conduit disposed within said bore, a separate eyelet securedin the free end of said nozzle and constituting a discharge orificetherefor, a closure for said orifice carried by said conduit in aposition normally out of registration with said orifice, and means forflexing said nozzle to move said orifice into partial or completeregistration with said closure.

FELIX KLEIN.

